Local Learning Disability Schools

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TJ Nelson

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There are numerous states that currently have learning disability schools, unfortunately not every state does and that has many parents frustrated at their local and state educational system.

Learning disability schools focus on children with learning disabilities. These can range from specific disabilities such as Dyslexia to more complex issues psychologically or physiologically such as Autism.

Elementary and high schools are all facing financing problems. Many small towns can not afford to have a public school so in the end they face closing their doors and consolidating with larger area communities. Children are bussed in and as a result the classroom sizes become larger. As class sizes become larger, the student to teacher ratio skyrockets with an average 20 children per teacher. As part of the No Child Left Behind legislation signed into law by President George W. Bush, each public school is required to undergo a series of tests each year to approximate the knowledge gained by each child.

If a child has a learning disability this can be a huge problem. As a way to reach a compromise with the federal government regarding funding and make sure every child is given fair rights to a quality education, many schools have learning disability schools within them.

These learning disability schools have run afoul of school systems using them as "dumpsters" for troubled children who in reality have no learning disability. These learning disability schools may be labeled as "alternative schools" and focus children towards attaining a general education diploma when they become age eligible.

Thanks to groups such as the Learning Disabilities Association of America there has been a movement to educate the public and teaching professionals on the differences between real learning problems/disabilities and children that have emotional problems that prevent them from participating in regular classrooms.

Having children in learning disability schools does not make them mentally retarded. That is an unfair bias given towards the connotation of a learning disability. The actual problem may be problems keeping attention or reading letters in an incorrect order. These children are often very gifted and intelligent.
They just need a little extra help in understanding or applying the knowledge they have locked within.
Even if the learning disability schools are not part of the local school district and as such might require tuition, there are grants and people there to help. The federal government provides such institutions with funds to help those families that cannot afford to send their children.

It is important that all children are given the same opportunities for a quality education. Thanks to such groups as the Learning Disabilities Association of America there are resources such as learning disability schools. As a parent feeling lost there is something invaluable in knowing that there are other people around to help.